This Christmas, please if you plan to travel with your vehicle (that was imported less than 6 years ago) I plead that you pause and think about those sheets of paper known as "custom papers".
The Nigerian Customs Service officials are not smiling; they are very willing to impound your vehicle for any irregularity on your custom papers, you then have to discharge all your personal effects from your vehicle and look for alternative transportation means of returning to your base or continue to your destination. This option is often after you and your vehicle have been detained, you would be of course offered bail but with attendant tough conditions – remember you are probably about 300km away from your base and about 250km to your destination – meeting those conditions is no tea party.
By the time you get to the impound / warehouse, humility would have become your nature and anything them tell you, you will be in a hurry to comply. You will probably also understand that your case is small and insignificant when you see the assortment of exotic vehicles already impounded, and you hear people discussing the imminent forfeiture of some of those exotic vehicles to the Government.
Our Christmas advice to all who might fall into this group is to please take your custom papers to any customs formation to confirm the validity of the documents you have, first they would likely check to see if adequate duty was paid then they would also check if the said duty was actually paid. If you have a friend that works with the Customs service better ask the person to help you check your documents before you set off rather than call them to help you beg when you have been caught.
The sad fact is that all these issues are caused by the collusion of some Customs officials and clearing agents, then another set of Customs officials would deal with your situation on the highway.
We currently have about seven (7) Customs check point between Ijebu-Ode and Asaba.
The experience is not what you would wish even your enemy, especially not during the end of year festivities.
Changed Nigeria News Wish everyone a wonderful and blissful festive period, as you drive safe to arrive alive.
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